There are many mobile or cellular network operators, or providers, in the world, often more than one in a single country. These network operators include, but are not limited to, operators who provide mobility services using a variety of protocols (e.g., GSM, GPRS, 3G, CDMA, TDMA, etc.) or their variants. These network operators provide voice and data services to their own subscribers and to subscribers from other networks. When the network operator provides service to a subscriber from a foreign country, it is referred to as “international roaming”. When the network operator provides service to a subscriber from another network in the same country, it is referred to as “domestic roaming”.
When the subscriber is registered in the network with which it has a direct billing relationship, the serving network is often referred to as the Home Public Mobile Network (“HPMN”). If the subscriber is in a network with which it does not have a direct billing relationship, the serving network is referred to as the Visited Public Mobile Network (“VPMN”), and the subscriber is referred to as an “inbound roamer” by the VPMN. The same subscriber is referred to as an “outbound roamer” by the HPMN. In such a case, the inbound roamers are treated as temporary subscribers from a service availability perspective, while the billing for usage incurred by them is through inter-carrier settlements via the HPMN of the subscriber.
The provision of Welcome Multimedia Messages (“MM”) (“WMM”) or Welcome Roaming Content (“WRC”) to roamers or roaming subscribers by Multimedia Messaging Services (“MMS”) is typically limited to outbound roamers. This limitation is a result of WMMs/WRCs being sent to (directly or via MMS internetworking) and retrieved from the HPMN MMSC or HPMN WAP gateway of the roamer using the HPMN GGSN. The WMM/WRC for outbound roamers is therefore handled entirely by the HPMN MMSC or HPMN WAP gateway involving the HPMN GGSN because the HPMN components know the GPRS/MMS/internet subscription of the roamers. However, because of the network components involved, costs are incurred when WMM/WRC are provided to inbound roamers.
Welcome SMS messages for inbound roamers are sent directly by a VPMN without involvement of the roaming subscriber's HPMN, and hence the VPMN absorbs the cost without paying the HPMN. Unlike SMS, which is a pure push service, the MMS is a push service for MMS/WAP-push alert and a pull service for MMS or WML-content retrieval service. With WMM/WRC for inbound roamers, in contrast, because it has to be delivered from the HPMN MMSC/WAP-Gateway via the HPMN GGSN, MMSC and WAP-gateway, the VPMN is required to pay the HPMN for the cost even though it cannot charge the inbound roamers for the WMM/WRC. Therefore, when the inbound roamer retrieves the WMM/WRC from the HPMN via the HPMN GGSN, MMSC and WAP gateway, the retrieval incurs costs at the HPMN network. These costs would typically need to be passed to the roamer by the VPMN with which the roamer is roaming, and since typical VPMNs might find these costs unjustifiable, the VPMNs are reluctant to charge inbound roamers for the WMM/WRC.
Therefore, unlike mobile terminated (“MT”) SMS which is generally provided to subscribers free of charges, MT WMM/WRC for inbound roamers incurs GPRS cost at the VPMN, and the VPMN thus bills the HPMN to recover the cost. Consequently, there is a need for service providers to provide WMM/WRC to inbound roamers without involving network elements of the roaming subscriber's HPMN.
Incorporation by Reference
Each publication and patent application mentioned in this specification is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.